Brockport Today

Sarah Humiston

Sarah Humiston is a SUNY Brockport Alumni from the Environmental Science and Ecology graduate program. Sarah decided that Brockport was the right fit for her to work toward her master’s degree because she wanted to focus on wetlands and restoration, and Brockport offers many unique connections to the Great Lakes.

“Brockport was my first choice because of the proximity to the Great Lakes, affiliation with the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program, and the expertise of the Environmental Science and Ecology Department in wetland science.”

During her time at Brockport, Sarah has taken countless opportunities to pursue extensive research and completed research that she published in a journal. She spent time as a Research Assistant to Dr. Rachel Schultz in the Cranberry Pond coastal wetland restoration project. Like those Sarah took advantage of, there are many ways for students to get involved in research while working towards their degree.

“Future students need to take advantage of every opportunity available to them. This includes presenting at conferences, utilizing Brockport’s programs such as Scholar’s Day and the Undergraduate Research Program, summer internships, volunteer work, etc.”

The Undergraduate Research Program at SUNY Brockport offers students the chance to collaborate with a faculty mentor to engage in research and discover new knowledge directly related to their major with the help of a trusted guide. One of the ways students can present their findings is by participating in Scholar’s Day. Scholar’s Day is an annual Brockport tradition that provides students and faculty the opportunity to present academic work, publish research, and share new information with other members of the campus community.

Now, having received her master’s degree, Sarah is working as an Assistant Regulatory Specialist at HDR and is focused on the regulatory aspect of environmental science. After working in the field, Sarah has some critical advice for other students who are chasing similar pursuits.

“It is extremely important to pursue classes that will provide students marketable skills, such as courses in Geographical Information Systems, wetland delineation, “R”, and statistics in addition to foundational classes. Having these skills will greatly improve their resume and serve as a foundation for many jobs in the environmental science industry.”

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